Special Texas House election set for late September to replace San Antonio Rep. Leo Pacheco
- Facebook / Lucy Adame-Clark
- State Rep. Leo Pacheco has left the Texas House to teach at San Antonio College.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has set a Tuesday, September 28 special election to fill the seat of State Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, who resigned last month.
Early voting will begin Monday, September 20 to fill Pacheco’s House District 118 seat, which represents southern and eastern stretches of Bexar County — typically a Democratic-leaning area.
Pacheco faced heat this session from members of his own party for voting in favor of a controversial GOP-backed bill that allows people to carry handguns without a permit or training. He subsequently announced he’s leaving the House to teach at San Antonio College.
At least three Democrats are vying for the seat, according to the Texas Tribune. Those are Southside Independent School District Board of Managers member Katie Farias; trial attorney Desi Martinez; and Frank Ramirez, a former city of San Antonio zoning and planning director.
Ramirez is running with endorsements from Pacheco as well as council members Adriana Rocha Garcia and Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, according to the Tribune.
Republicans vying for the seat include John Lujan, who briefly represented District 118 in the Texas House, and Adam Salyer, who was the district’s 2020 GOP nominee, the Tribune reports.
Candidates who wish to have their names placed on the ballot must file their applications with the Secretary of State no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, September 13, according to an announcement from the Governor’s Office.
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